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VIENNA, Austria, 14th September 2012, PRNewswire - The Energy Globe is the world´s most prestigious and respected environmental award. 151 countries participated and submitted over 6.000 projects that implemented a prudent and economical use of resources to the international jury of experts since the year 2000.

Energy Globe nominees from 14 different nations convinced the jury chaired by Maneka Ghandi (member of the Indian parliament and former environmental minister) this year. They all have dedicated their life to one single goal: Providing sustainable solutions to diverse problems all over the world. The projects were presented at the 29th international CIRIEC congress taking place in the Vienna City Hall from 12-14 September.

The nominees were awarded in five categories: Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Youth. A recycling project for fence posts in Kenya was awarded in the category EARTH; energy homes of the future in the United States of America were victorious for FIRE ; Arsenic-free water for millions of people in India at low cost was chosen for WATER; Germany won with the efficient emission reduction of the Viessman factory in the category AIR and the Energy Globe Award for YOUTH was given to Lakota Chief Red Cloud, who is working on a solar energy revolution for Native Americans in the U.S. State of South Dakota. The audience also voted for the winner of the Energy Globe World Award from one of the five categories.

It was a peaceful competition with other worldwide environmental projects like eco-homes in the Peruvian Andes; a thriving bamboo business in Cuba; small-scale energy systems in Palestinian communities; Dutch software for helping personal computers to save energy; drinking water and sanitary facilities for Zambia; revitalizing antique subterranean wells in Azerbaijan; hi-tech waste water treatment in Ireland; ceramic filters that turn fine dust into breathable air in Great Britain; Dutch software that can sniff out air pollution; clean drinking water in Indonesia for the poorest of the poor; Italian school children showing Europeans through energy kits what our future might soon look like and many more…